SERMON OUTLINE:
Priesthood: Beginning & the End.
Priesthood: Purpose & Ministry
Priesthood: Ordination & Duty
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• Readers’ Digest Magazine contains the story;
• Of an employee who confided in a co-worker.
• Quote: ‘I told her about a problem in our office and my fear that I would lose my job.
• She was concerned and said she would pray for me.
• I know she keeps a list of 10 people she believes need her prayers the most,
• So I asked her if she had room for me on her list.
• “Oh yes,” she replied.
• “Three of the other people have died”’
• I guess if we ask somebody to intercedes for us,
• We are expecting and wanting better results than that!
• TRANSITION:
• The New Testament and especially the book of Hebrews reassures us again and again;
• That we have the best intercessor anyone could hope to have.
(1). Priesthood: The Beginning & End:
• The first mention of a "Priesthood" is found in Exodus chapter 19 verse 5-6.
• It occurred when God gave the Law at Mount Sinai to the nation of Israel
• This is what God said and what we have recorded:
“Now IF you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.’"
• Notice everything depended on an ‘if’:
• “Now IF you OBEY me fully and KEEP my covenant”
• But sadly the nation did not obey or keep God’s Law,
• They broke the covenant again and again and again.
• Therefore they did not become a national priesthood.
• Instead, God chose one family- the family of Aaron;
• And he and his sons were ordained to officiate as a special priesthood.
• You can read about it in Exodus chapter 28 verse 1:
“‘Let Aaron your brother be brought to you from among the Israelites, with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so that they may serve me as priests.”
Note:
• We are told in the New Testament (Hebrews chapter 7 verse 11):
• That this was known as the "Levitical" priesthood.
• It was called this because Aaron and his sons were of the tribe of Levi.
• It is also called the Aaronic priesthood;
• Because Aaron was its first High Priest (Hebrews chapter 5 verse 4).
• So the Aaronic priesthood and the Levitical priesthood are one and the same.
• This priesthood was functioning throughout the Old Testament;
• And was still in force when Jesus was on planet earth.
• But one day that all changed!
• It was a Friday afternoon at around three o’clock.
• Jesus Christ the Son of God allowed himself to be nailed to a wooden cross,
• After he had been hanging there for about three hours he cried out, “It is finished”
• Not, “I am finished”, but rather “It is finished”
• Three words in English but only one in Greek,
• The word ‘tetelestai’
• And simply means ‘the transaction is complete – no more to pay’
• And as soon as Jesus called that word out, something happened nearby in the temple;
• “The curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom”.
• (Matthew chapter 27 verse 51).
The veil was torn because the old way of entering God’s presence is now also finished:
• We don’t have to go through a person (earthly priests) to reach God anymore.
• We don’t have to go through rituals anymore.
• We don’t have to go through religious ceremonies anymore.
• Instead, Jesus has made a new and living way for us to reach God.
• Quote: Hebrews chapter 10 verses 19–22 puts it this way:
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
• So when Jesus dies on the cross;
• The old order of priesthood was made spiritually null and void.
• It no longer had anything to offer people!
• For another 70 years the priesthood and sacrifices still operated in Jerusalem;
• But as far as God was concerned they were performing their rituals in vain.
Ill:
• Then in year A.D. 70 the Roman emperor Vespasian (Ves-pas-I-an):
• Sent his son Titus to crush a Jewish rebellion and destroy Jerusalem.
• He besieged the city for five months,
• Eventually, the Roman army breached the walls, slaughtered men, women, & children,
• Demolished the city, and destroyed the temple.
• Ever since the year A.D. 70
• The Jews have not had a temple or a priesthood!
• That old system is both practically and spiritually finished!
In contrast to the old system:
• The New Testament calls Jesus a Great High Priest:
• But he is not from Levitical Priesthood;
• That we read about in Leviticus chapters 8-9.
• But rather he is from a different order;
• His order preceded the Levitical Priesthood;
• And is called the order of Melchizedek (?Genesis chapter 14 verses 18–20).
• Five times in the letter to the Hebrews we read;
• That Jesus Christ is the High Priest ‘after the order of Melchizedek’.
In Hebrews chapter 7 the writer shows us how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament priesthood:
• i.e. The ministry of human priests was temporary;
• Death prevented them from continuing (Hebrews chapter 7 verse 23).
• In contrast the ministry of Jesus is permanent:
• “He lives forever” (Hebrews chapter 7 verse 24).
• “He always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews chapter 7 verse 25_
In fact the writer of this letter goes on to portray five aspects of Christ’s character:
• Verses 23-24: His permanent achievement.
• Verses 25: His limitless power.
• Verses 25: His present ministry.
• Verse 26: His sinless character.
• Verses 27-28: His perfect offering.
So to finish my first point:
• The old priesthood was abolished;
• A new one took its place.
• Aaron was the original head of the old Levitical priesthood;
• Christ is the Head of the new spiritual priesthood.
(2). Priesthood: Purpose & Ministry:
• To put it simply the ministry of a priest is twofold:
• To make sacrifices and to serve the people.
• And if you take time to read the first seven chapters of the book of Leviticus;
• You will notice that the focus is on the sacrifice,
• After that the focus is on service/priesthood.
• Now the two subjects are connected:
• The sinner needs a sacrifice and the believer needs a priest.
• We need to be made right with God,
• Then we need to be kept right with God.
• Now in Christ we see and have both those things;
• As sinners we need a sacrifice and as believers we need a priest/intercessor.
i.e. Jesus As a sacrifice:
• As a sacrifice, Jesus is the perfect offering:
• He offered himself once and for all!
• Hebrews chapter 7 verse 27:
“Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.”
• As our perfect sacrifice,
• Jesus brings His people into a new and solid relationship with God;
i.e. As a Priest:
• As a priest, He perfectly satisfies every function of the priesthood.
• The word “priest” carries a couple of primary meanings.
• e.g. it meant one who mediates in religious services.
• e.g. it also means one who is holy or set apart to perform those services.
• e.g. The Latin word for “priest” is 'Pontifex' and means “bridge builder.”
• One who helps people get back to God and stay right with God.
Quote:
“God the Father gave Jesus Christ, his Son, two pieces of wood and three nails and asked Him to build a bridge for man to access God…and he did it!”
One other important point to note regarding Jesus' priesthood:
• Every priest is appointed from among men.
• Priesthood was not a calling, a vocation,
• Like people may feel called be a pastor or an evangelist or a missionary etc.
Quote:
“Character and ability had nothing to do with being a priest:
The one essential that was needed was pedigree.
The Jewish priesthood was founded on genealogy.”
• The priesthood in the Old Testament;
• Depended completely on family, you must be from the tribe of Levi.
• Ancestry was what counted the most!
• Under Jewish law a man could not under any circumstances;
• Become a priest unless he could produce a certificated pedigree going back to Aaron.
Jesus was not chosen to be a priest by men, but by God the Father.
• He is a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
• Melchizedek has no genealogy recorded in the Bible;
• He appears to be without father and without mother.
• So that we do not know, where he came from or anything about his background.
• Symbolically he would appear to be ‘eternal’
• Jesus was chosen of God the Father,
• As our sacrifice (1 John chapter 1 verse 14)”
• We know that; “The Father sent the Son to be the saviour of the world.”
• Jesus was chosen of God the Father,
• As our priest (Hebrews chapter 2 verse 17 & chapter 4 verse 14):
“ For this reason he had to be made like them,[k] fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.”
Note an important change:
• Under the Old Covenant, God's people had a priesthood;
• Under the New Covenant, God's people are a priesthood!
• Quote: 1 Peter chapter 2 verses 5&9:
• We are called a: "holy priesthood" and a "royal priesthood"
• Quote: Revelation chapter 1 verses 5-6:
• Jesus has made every believer: “a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father”
(3). Priesthood: Ordination & Duty:
• Leviticus chapters 8-10 describes an ordination ceremony;
• It would last for eight-days,
• And it was exclusively for Aaron and his sons (the Levites).
Ill:
• On 12 March 1994, Angela Berners-Wilson was headline news.
• The reason being that the first 32 women were ordained as Church of England priests.
• The service was officiated by Bishop Barry Rogerson in Bristol Cathedral.
• Rogerson ordained the women in alphabetical order,
• so Angela Berners-Wilson is considered the very first woman to be ordained.
• TRANSITION: People would ask me what did I think of women priests;
• And I would reply, “That was not relevant because I did not believe in ordination!”
• That there is no New Testament basis for ordination,
• But it was a requirement in the Old Testament.
As God's chosen priests, the Levites had to accept three solemn responsibilities:
• (1). Submitting to God's authority (chapter 8),
• (2). Revealing God's glory (chapter 9),
• (3). Accepting God's discipline (chapter 10).
• Now for the sake of time;
• I will only draw out a five things from chapter 8 - Submitting to God's authority.
(1). Submitting to God's authority (8:1-36)
• If you scan through these three chapters;
• You will find the word ‘commanded’ at least twenty times.
• i.e. Verse 5:
• “Moses said to the assembly, ‘This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.’”
• i.e. The last line of verse 9:
• “…as the Lord commanded Moses..’”
• i.e. The last line of verse 13:
• “…as the Lord commanded Moses..’”
When it came to the priesthood:
• Nothing was left to chance or to the imagination;
• The priests were to do everything according to the instructions given,
• Those instructions were given to Moses by God himself on Mt Sinai.
Question: What did God command them to do?
Answer: Let me point out a few of the things required:
(A). AT THEIR ORDINATION THESE PRIESTS WERE REQUIRED TO WASH (VS 6).
“Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water.”
• The priests were ceremonially bathed all over but only once;
• From then on, they only washed their hands and feet;
• At a basin while they were serving in the tabernacle (Exodus chapter 30 verses 17-21).
“Then the LORD said to Moses, 18 “Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 19 Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it. 20 Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the LORD, 21 they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.””
Application:
• When we trusted Christ for salvation we became a New Testament priest;
• And we were washed from their sins once and for all.
• Quote: Revelation chapter 1 verses 5-6;
“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”
• But because we live in a sinful world,
• We will get contaminated, so we too need our hands and feet washed.
• We keep clean by confessing our sins to God.
• Quote 1 John chapter 1 verse 9:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
(B). AT THEIR ORDINATION THESE PRIESTS WERE REQUIRED TO BE SPECIFICLY CLOTHED (VS 7-9 & 13).
“He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash round him, clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him. He also fastened the ephod with a decorative waistband, which he tied round him. 8 He placed the breastpiece on him and put the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece. 9 Then he placed the turban on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the sacred emblem, on the front of it, as the LORD commanded Moses.”
Verse 13:
“Then he brought Aaron’s sons forward, put tunics on them, tied sashes round them and fastened caps on them, as the LORD commanded Moses.”
Ill:
• No-one who wanted to serve as a priest, ‘just turned up’.
• They had to be specifically dressed.
Ill;
• I took a phone call on Thursday;
• And the people who called asked me,
• If I would take the funeral service for one of their relatives;
• I replied, if we can sort out a time and a date, then yes, of course I would,
• I would be happy to help.
• Now when I take a funeral service out comes my black suit,
• (yes, I do own one! In fact I own two - one for weddings and one for funerals)
• Now I would not tale a funeral service dressed in a hooded top and jeans,
• And like wise I would not run my youth club wearing a suit.
• What matters is suitable clothing that matches the occasion,
• And that is what we have here in these verses.
• Some specific clothing for Aaron – the high priest (vs 7-9),
• Some specific clothing for Aaron’s sons - the priests (vs 7-9),
• There is great symbolism and meaning in each of the items mentioned,
• But that would be the topic of another sermon.
Application:
• The New Testament teachers that each "believer/priest"
• Has been clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ and is accepted in Him.
• I love how Isaiah the prophet describes our salvation:
• Isaiah chapter 61 verse 10:
“For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”
• Isaiah would go on to say in chapter 64 verse 6:
• That “Our own righteousnesses are as filthy rags in God's sight”,
Quote: Romans chapter 3 verses 21-24:
“But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in[h] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus”
(C). AT THEIR ORDINATION THESE PRIESTS WERE REQUIRED TO BE ANOINTED (VS 10-12 & 30).
“Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them. 11 He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar and all its utensils and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them. 12 He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him.”
Verse 30:
“Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments and his sons and their garments.”
• We are told in Exodus chapter 30 verses 22-33 that the oil was to be specially made;
• No-one was ever allowed to duplicate it and make their own.
• And it was not to be used on anyone but a priest.
• They were set them apart from the common people;
• In the Bible oil is often a symbol, a picture of the Holy Spirit of God,
• As the oil was poured on the heads of the priests it marked them out as different,
• And it was symbolic that they need the help and enabling of God’s spirit.
Application:
• The New Testament teachers that each "believer/priest"
• Has been anointed with the Holy Spirit of God.
• Quote: 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verses 21-22.
“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
(D). AT THEIR ORDINATION THESE PRIESTS WERE REQUIRED TO OFFER SACRIFICES (VS 14-29).
• Verse 14: “He then presented the bull for the sin offering,”
• Verse 18: “He then presented the ram for the burnt offering”
• Verse 22: “He then presented the other ram, the ram for the ordination,”
• The bull was sacrificed as a sin offering; for Aaron and his sons,
• This made possible cleansing of their sins,
• The ram for sacrificed as a burnt offering;
• This symbolized their total dedication to the Lord.
Application:
• The New Testament teachers that each "believer/priest"
• Has been called to offer spiritual sacrifices to God.
Note: These sacrifices never have a prescribed ritual:
• And they are never mentioned in the context of atonement.
• They are sacrifices in the sense;
• That it is devoted to God.
• i.e. Romans chapter 12 verse 1:
• We are to "Offer our bodies as living sacrifice"
• i.e. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 5.
• “Offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”
• i.e. Philippians chapter 2 verse 17.
• “Sacrifice and service”
• i.e. Hebrews chapter 13 verse 15.
• “Let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise”
• So in describing sacrifices in the Christian life,
• The New Testament teaches what we are, and what we say and do;
• Is to be devoted to God, i.e. a sacrifice.
(5). AT THEIR ORDINATION THESE PRIESTS WERE REQUIRED TO REVEAL IN GOD’S GLORY (19:1-24).
• Aaron and his sons had obeyed God's commandments.
• And when the week was over;
• They were ready to begin serving the Lord at the altar.
• Up to this point,
• Moses had been offering the sacrifices;
• But now Aaron and his sons would take up their priestly ministry.
Moses then spoke to the people in verse 6:
“Then Moses said, ‘This is what the LORD has commanded you to do, so that the glory of the LORD may appear to you.’”
• He told them that the glory the Lord would appear,
• When the ordination was completed.
• Just as God’s glory had appeared when the tabernacle completed.
• (Exodus chapter 40 verses 34-38).
• One of the main purposes of the tabernacle ministry,
• Was to glorify the God of Israel,
• We are told his glory dwelt on the mercy seat in the holy of holies.
• The pagan nations around them had priests and sacrifices,
• But they didn't have the glory of God.
Application:
• The New Testament teachers that each "believer/priest"
• Has been called to glorify God.
• Quote: 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 31:
• "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
Ill:
• The great composer Johann Sebastian Bach said, always headed his compositions “J.J.”
• The letters stood for “Jesus Juva” which means “Jesus Help Me.”
• He ended them “S.D.G.” the letters stood for “Soli Dei Gratia”
• Which means “to God alone be the praise.”
• That would suggest to me that Bach was a man;
• Who wanted to glorify God - that was his priority.
• And of course it is (or it should be) the priority of EVERY Christian!
In Conclusion:
• We have noted that every believer is a priest;
• We are called to serve God and to glorify God in all we do.
• In my preparation for this talk,
• I came across this great quote.
Quote:
• In a paper by R. J. Rushdoony entitled,
• ‘The Puritan Doctrine of the Priesthood of All Believers’, he writes:
“The doctrine of the priesthood of all believers was of central importance to the Reformers in attacking the validity of Rome’s doctrine of the priesthood. The only earthly priesthood after Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension is the priesthood of all believers; the church is led by a ministry, but it is a congregation of royal priests.”
But, he writes, the Westminster Assembly took this one step further:
[The]“Westminster Confession did not talk about the priesthood of all believers; instead, it set free that priesthood in terms of its charter, the Bible, faithfully interpreted in terms of itself and the Spirit of God. The new priesthood now had its priestly ordination papers in hand, the Bible.”
• So under the new covenant, all Christians are priests,
• Guided by the Word of God,
• Called to serve God and to glorify God in all we do.
• Serving together with and under Christ;
• In the spiritual temple that God is building among us.
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=RFlTh05F4tkcqXbfLEsfsnxpj8L19ugJ
Additional Information RE: Priests:
Definition: A priest is one authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially a mediator between man and God.” (Webster) n The origin of dedicated priests is uncertain. n Melchizedek, King of Salem was a priest of God (Gen. 14:18) n Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, was priest of Midian. (Exodus 4:1) n There were priests among the Israelites when they came out of Egypt. (Exodus 19:22, 24) n There were false priests who served false gods: • Priest of Midian (Exodus 18:1) • Priests of On (Genesis 41:45) • Priests of Dagon (1 Samuel 5:5) • Priests of the high places (1 Kings 12:32) • Priests “of them that are no gods.” (2 Chronicles 13:9) n At Mount Sinai, God designated Aaron and his descendants to serve as priests. (Exodus 28:1, 44; 30:30; 40:13-15; Numbers 3:3) n All priests were Levites, but not all Levites were priests. n Only those designated could perform priestly duties. • Not other Levites (Numbers 16:1-3; 1-10; 10:1-3) • Not even Moses or his descendants (1 Chronicles 23:13) • Not anyone other than Aaron and his descendants (Numbers 16:40) n QUALIFICATIONS FOR PRIESTLY SERVICE: • Must be a male (Exodus 28:1) • Must be a descendant of Aaron (Exodus 28:1) with a documented linage. • Must be between 30 and 50 years old. (Numbers 4:3) • Must be unblemished (not lame or blond). (Lev. 21:16-23) • Must have a proper marriage. (Leviticus 21:9, 14) - Not married to a harlot. - Not married to a divorced woman. - Not married to a widow other than a priest’s widow. (Ezekiel 44:22) - The high priest must marry a virgin of his own people. • Must have no uncleanliness (leprosy, etc.). (Lev. 22:3-9)
• Must have an untrimmed beard with well trimmed (but unshaved) hair. (Ezekiel 4:20; Leviticus 21:5 • Must be properly dressed. (Exo. 28:1-4; Ezekiel 44:17-19)
n DUTIES OF THE PRIEST • Teach the people. (Leviticus 10:8-11) • Serve as judges to resolve controversy. (Deut. 21:5) • Offer sacrifices. (Exodus 29:38-42) • Assess impurity. (Leviticus 13-15) • Burn incense. (Exodus 30:7-8) • Bless the people. (Numbers 6:22-27) • Bless God (Deuteronomy 10:8) • Keep the tabernacle. (Numbers 3:38; 4;16) • Take care of the altar (Leviticus 6:8-13), the lamps, and the showbread (Leviticus 24:1-9) • Prepare the holy things for each days journey. (Num. 4:5-15) • Continue the sacred fire. (Leviticus 6;12-13) • Blow the trumpets. (Numbers 10:1-10) n THE HIGH PRIESTS • Also called the chief priest. (2 Chronicles 19:11) • God’s leader over the priests. • Aaron served as the first High Priest. (Exodus 40:12-13) • Aaron’s son, Eleazer, replaced him as High Priest when he died. (Numbers 20:26-28) • The position of high priests continued through the time of Christ (Matthew 26:3 and apparently to the time of the destruction of the temple by the Romans in 70 A.D. n DUTIES OF THE HIGH PRIEST • Direct the work of the priests & Levites. (Numbers 3:4) • Inquire of the Lord. (Judges 20:28) • Consecration of the priests. (Exodus 29:1-37) • Maintain the golden candlestand with its fire. (Lev. 24:1-4) • Burning incense daily (Exodus 30:7-8), and in a special way on the Day of Atonement. (Leviticus 16:2, 12-13) • Offering sacrifices on the Day of Atonement. (Hebrews 5:1; Leviticus 23:6, 11, 15, 20)
